Source: Politics<\/p>\n
Donald Trump cemented his control of the Republican National Committee on Friday after members formally voted to install his handpicked candidates \u2014 including his daughter-in-law \u2014 in top roles at the party.<\/p>\n
Michael Whatley, chair of the North Carolina Republican Party, has been named the new chair of the RNC, replacing Ronna McDaniel, whom Trump pressured to vacate her post<\/a>. While assembled for a hastily called meeting in Houston, the committee also installed Lara Trump, the former president\u2019s daughter-in-law, as co-chair, and agreed by acclamation to consider Trump to be the party\u2019s nominee.<\/p>\n Trump\u2019s senior campaign adviser Chris LaCivita will be made the RNC\u2019s chief operating officer.<\/p>\n In his acceptance speech, Whatley said the RNC will work \u201chand in glove\u201d with Trump\u2019s campaign over the next eight months to improve the party\u2019s get-out-the-vote efforts and to \u201csupport the sanctity of their vote.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf a dollar that we have is not directed towards winning this November, that dollar will not be spent,\u201d Whatley said, a remark that was echoed by Lara Trump as she held up a $100,000 check she said she had just been handed for the RNC.<\/p>\n While picking a family member for a top party role is not standard protocol, it is not unheard of. Ronald Reagan\u2019s daughter was elected co-chair<\/a> of the RNC in 1987. And it is typical for a president to select allies to run party operations and ensure support from the national committee.<\/p>\n But Trump\u2019s decision to announce a new slate of RNC leaders before securing the required delegates to be the GOP nominee angered some Trump critics both on and off the committee. He did so in February, when Nikki Haley was still running for president, and she criticized both the RNC and McDaniel for trying to push her out of the primary.<\/p>\n RNC members ultimately accepted Trump\u2019s proposal overwhelmingly, paving the way for the committee and Trump\u2019s reelection campaign to work in lockstep as they raise money and determine messaging for the general election.<\/p>\n While the committee previously spent money on Trump\u2019s legal bills, his campaign officials have said Trump will not tap the RNC to do so moving forward. The committee is struggling financially, having had its worst fundraising year in a decade and entering 2024 with less than half as much cash on hand as the Democratic National Committee.<\/p>\n